Aeronautics: Wings Over Africa

Across Cranwell Airdrome, near Lincoln, England, stretches a mile-long
runway. It was built four years ago by the Royal Air Force to launch a
giant monoplane on a nonstop flight to Cape Town.

The plane traversed northern Africa, crashed into the 11,000-ft. Atlas
Mountains, killed both its pilots. Successive attempts also failed.
Under Sir Samuel Hoare and the late Lord Thomson, the Air Ministry kept
at the project, less intent upon hanging up a distance record than upon
a demonstration of wings-across-the-Empire.

Last week another ship stood at the head of the Cranwell runway. Like...